RSPB: Illegal Killings of Britain’s Protected Birds of Prey Persist

Despite years of statutory safeguards, Britain’s rarest birds of prey continue to fall victim to illegal shooting, trapping, and poisoning, according to a new report from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The charity’s findings, set for release on Wednesday, document 921 verified incidents of persecution between 2015 and 2024. The RSPB notes that more than half of these attacks occurred on or in the vicinity of estates managed for game shooting.

Mark Thomas, who leads the RSPB’s investigations unit, stated that the motive behind these killings is financial. He explained that predators are often eliminated to protect game species such as pheasants, partridges, and grouse, thereby ensuring a higher number of birds are available for paying shoot customers.

The targeted species include barn owls, goshawks, hen harriers, peregrine falcons, red kites, and eagles. To be classified as "confirmed," the RSPB requires cases to be supported by forensic analysis, video footage, or eyewitness testimony. The charity’s specialized investigative team, which comprises former police officers and ornithological experts, focuses on identifying those responsible for these crimes.

Evidence collected by the RSPB, including covert camera recordings, has contributed to three convictions this year alone. Two of these cases involved birds that were beaten to death after being caught in traps—one a buzzard and the other a goshawk. While certain live-capture traps are legally permitted for pest control of species like pigeons and crows, regulations mandate that they be checked regularly to ensure non-target animals are released unharmed.

The third conviction stemmed from covert surveillance at a hen harrier roost in the Yorkshire Dales. Investigators recorded head gamekeeper Racster Dingwall arriving with a shotgun, while hidden audio captured discussions about killing other protected birds and the potential satellite-tagging of a harrier. Dingwall subsequently admitted to offenses related to an attempt to kill a protected hen harrier and was fined £1,520.

Although the RSPB acknowledges a recent decline in recorded incidents, it argues that the long-term trend demonstrates that criminal prosecutions are insufficient on their own. The organization is urging the government to introduce a licensing system for gamebird shooting in England and Wales, mirroring the regime currently in place for red grouse shooting in Scotland. Under such a system, licenses could be suspended or revoked based on the civil standard of proof, even in cases where criminal prosecution is not feasible.

Shooting organizations strongly refute the suggestion that persecution is widespread within the industry. They maintain that such acts are committed by a small minority and are universally condemned. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) opposes the licensing proposal, arguing it would unfairly penalize responsible landowners and jeopardize conservation efforts.

Dr. Marnie Lovejoy of BASC told the BBC, "What we should do is strengthen law enforcement to prosecute individuals who commit these crimes. They have no place in the modern shooting community." She warned that licensing would impose additional regulatory burdens on an activity already governed by law, affecting all participants. Furthermore, she highlighted the sector’s economic and environmental contributions, noting that it spends approximately £500 million annually on conservation. BASC estimates this investment supports 26,000 full-time jobs and 14 million workdays.

The government has not yet endorsed the RSPB’s licensing recommendations. However, a spokesperson for Defra told the BBC that the department intends to collaborate with the shooting sector and other stakeholders to explore broader measures, including licensing. The spokesperson emphasized that while many estates already adhere to high environmental standards, the goal is to ensure all estates achieve these levels.

Professor Davy McCracken from Scotland’s Rural College, who has spent 35 years studying upland management and wildlife, suggests that the friction between conserving birds of prey and managing land for grouse shooting is fundamentally economic. He identifies this financial conflict as the root cause of the ongoing dispute.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-25 23:35:26 UTC